Monthly Archives: March 2018

It’s hard to believe that Luis García Berlanga made a film nearly as good as The Executioner. Placido isn’t quite there, but it’s also a masterpiece. The IMDb and FilmStruck summaries do it no favors. Something about “a bunch of old women … Continue reading →

If you were to tell me that you really hate Philippe Grandrieux’s Sombre I don’t think I’d really argue. I love it, but about halfway through watching it I wasn’t sure if I loved it or hated it (usually a sure-fire … Continue reading →

Václav Vorlícek’s Who Wants to Kill Jessie? is as madcap as it gets. I watched this and Howard Hawks’ Ball of Fire in close proximity to one-another. They combine for a pretty interesting look at screwball comedy across decades and oceans. I … Continue reading →

Michael Haneke’s films have come up often in recent conversations with my students. I haven’t rewatched any of his since Amour, so it’s been over five years since I’ve seen one of his films. Somehow I remember him as having a … Continue reading →

I didn’t know much about The Fury of a Patient Man going in and, aside from the nitpick that the title cards towards the beginning of the film separating this into something like chapters are totally unnecessary, Raúl Arévalo’s feature debut is … Continue reading →

Jerzy Kawalerowicz’s 1957 precedes the only two other films of his I’ve seen – Night Train and Mother Joan of the Angels. Both of those films are masterful and more polished than The Real End to the Great War, but I really love … Continue reading →